Longer
by CJtheCregg
Summary: Sequel to 'A Year Ago Today', Zack's gone, and Jondy's found someone knew. JondyOriginal Character


Title: Longer (sequel to: A Year Ago Today)  
  
Author: Jacey925  
  
Rating: PG  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, and the song 'Longer', belongs to the very talented Delta Goodrem.  
  
Summary: Take's place in the year following the events of 'A Year Ago Today'. Follows Jondy as she starts her new life.  
  
A/N: This story was my way of basically 'finishing the book', or putting the lid on both Jondy's past life, and mine.  
  
Dedication: For Lexie, for talking. For Becc for the offer of talking. For Shannon, cause she knows why. For Ashley, for being there for Shan. For my sister, cause she escaped things.  
  
****************  
  
//I see you everyday  
  
I guess we walk the same way  
  
To wherever we're going  
  
Every morning and every night  
  
Do you smile to be polite  
  
No way of knowing  
  
I can't explain it  
  
But I'm not complaining  
  
If I'm happy or sad  
  
If only we had //  
  
******************  
  
Exactly one month, one week and approximately 4 hours after she came back home, Jondy was sitting on her living room floor, sorting through old pictures and magazines. She jumped slightly when someone knocked on the door. 'Damn nerves.' She muttered, before going to open the door for Maggie.  
  
'Hey Maggie.' She stated, before realizing, that it wasn't Maggie. Defiantly not Maggie, she thought to herself. 'You're not Maggie.' She said stupidly.  
  
A tall dark haired man, with piercing green eyes grinned, 'I hope not anyway.' He said, holding out his hand. 'Alex Patterson.' He said. 'Maggie's son.'  
  
Jondy grinned, 'Ahhhh, so you'd be that little naked boy in the photo she keeps waving in my face?' she questioned, getting a slightly evil glint in her eye, as she shook his outstretched hand.  
  
He winced, 'She showed you the photo?' He shook his head, 'Stupid question. Of course she showed you the photo... She shows everyone the photo' He muttered, before pausing and looking at her warily, 'She didn't show you anything else did she?'  
  
Jondy just nodded, and grinned.  
  
'Damn.' He muttered, 'So, I'll just be leaving, with at least a slither of my dignity in tact..'  
  
Jondy grinned, 'Awww come on, where's that Navy spirit your mom's always telling me you have?'  
  
Alex laughed, 'I presume I left it behind, when I went on leave..' He stated, and then laughed at the look of horror on Jondy's face.  
  
She sighed, 'That's a shame.. I always had a thing for guy's in dress whites..' She laughed, and smiled, 'I'm Jondy. Jondy Elliot.'  
  
Alex nodded, 'I know. My mother apparently has a big mouth when it comes to talking about both of us... So, dress whites huh?'  
  
Jondy rolled her eyes, 'Get over it already Alex.' She grinned, 'So what brings you over here anyway?'  
  
He bent over and picked up a tool box, 'A little bird told me that you have some problems with the pipes in the bathroom... I'm here to serve milady.' He said, winking at her.  
  
Jondy laughed, 'They're fixed already..' she said, inwardly wincing at the lie. 'But hey, come on in, and have some coffee or something.'  
  
Alex nodded, 'Sure. why not? It'll get me away from that mother of mine, who insists on setting me up with every one of her friend's daughters.'  
  
Jondy laughed, 'She does that to you too? I've been out with nearly all of her friend's sons... and that's saying something, cause I've only been back for a month.'  
  
Alex nodded, and wisely, didn't question her comment about being back.... she'd tell him in time, he decided.  
  
'You know something sailor?' Jondy said to him, linking her arm with his, and leading him into the kitchen.  
  
'What?' Alex replied, grinning at the nick name.  
  
'I think this is the start of a beautiful friendship.' Jondy replied, taking two mugs out of the cupboard.  
  
Alex rolled his eyes, 'You so stole that line from a movie!'  
  
Jondy gasped, 'I did not!'  
  
'Did to!' Alex replied, grabbing and apple from the fruit bowl.  
  
'Hey! Try asking first!' Jondy said.  
  
'What, you want it back?' Alex said, offering the apple with a huge bite out of it.  
  
Jondy rolled her eyes, 'No thanks.'  
  
'You know,' Alex said wiggling his eyebrows at her, 'I brought my dress whites with me...'  
  
Jondy snorted, 'Yeah yeah, in your dreams sailor.'  
  
And next door, Maggie Patterson, was finally thankful for being able to hear what was happening in the apartment on the other side of her living room wall. She chuckled to herself, and took a sip from her mug of tea. 'All in good time.' she assured herself. 'I'll get myself a daughter in law yet.'  
  
******************  
  
//Just a little longer. Than this  
  
Just a little closer. Than this  
  
I would get to know you  
  
A little bit better  
  
I could tell you  
  
If only we had  
  
Just a little longer //  
  
******************  
  
Jondy grinned to herself as she pulled her car into it's space at her apartment block, and spotted Alex's car parked haphazardly in one of the guest spots.  
  
It was over two weeks since she'd met Maggie's son, and as annoying and cocky as he was, she couldn't help feeling week at the knees when he smiled at her.  
  
She was loading her arms with groceries, when a pair of hands reached around her waist. Turning, she smiled at Alex, and then mock glared at him. 'Hand's off sailor.' She commanded.  
  
'Yes mam.' Alex replied, grabbing some of the bags out of her arms. 'Planning a party?' he asked.  
  
Jondy rolled her eyes, 'Don't you have your own apartment like, three blocks over?' she questioned, referring to the apartment he lived in, when he was on shore leave.  
  
'It's considered rude to answer a question with another question.' Alex stated.  
  
'Yes well,' Jondy said dryly, 'Etiquette wasn't something that they encouraged teaching at Manticore.' She smiled, thinking back to the day the week before, when she'd told both Alex and Maggie about her past. Zack would have killed her for that, she mused. She sighed, and then tuned into what Alex was saying.  
  
'See now,' Alex said grinning, as they stepped into the elevator. 'That's why Manticore went down, and the Navy's still around. I'm obviously the superior soldier.'  
  
Jondy snorted, 'In your dreams sailor.'  
  
Alex wiggled his eyebrows at her, as he let her step out of the elevator before him. 'Oh, you don't want to know what my dreams are about Jondy.' He paused, waiting for her to open her apartment door. 'And snorting is very unladylike.'  
  
Jondy winked, 'Who ever said I was a lady?'  
  
'Well you had a frickin' good surgeon then.' Alex said, laughing at her.  
  
'Whatever sailor. Come on, let's take this stuff over to your mom's. I promised her that I'd help cook for tonight.' She paused, 'You're coming right?'  
  
Alex nodded, reluctantly. 'Yeah...' he sighed, 'It sounds like a barrel of fun. dinner with my mother's friends.'  
  
Jondy slapped him on the arm. 'Hey! I'M your mother's friend too! Besides, they're perfectly nice people.'  
  
Alex ignored her second statement, and ran his eyes over her body. 'Yeah, but none of them are as hot as you.'  
  
Jondy grinned, and thought about how when Alex looked at her, it was so different to how it used to be with Zack. All she felt now, was butterflies in her stomach, and want. 'Eyes off sailor.' She said, to keep up appearances.  
  
He rolled his eyes, and pouted, 'Do I have'ta go?' he winged, 'They're stuffy old people.'  
  
'Don't be rude Alex.' Jondy admonished.  
  
'Yes mam.'  
  
******************  
  
//Just a little longer. Than this  
  
Just a little closer. Than this  
  
I would get to know you  
  
A little bit better  
  
I could tell you  
  
If only we had  
  
Just a little longer //  
  
******************  
  
'Jondy!' Maggie scolded, 'Would you, please, just go out there and socialize?'  
  
Jondy pouted and reluctantly gave Maggie the knife she'd been using, while finishing off the salad. 'Mean.' She said, pouting again.  
  
Maggie rolled her eyes, and called over her shoulder to her son, who was fiddling aimlessly with the CD player. 'Alex!'  
  
'Yeah mom?' he said, walking into the kitchen and grabbing a piece of carrot off the chopping board.  
  
'Stop hiding by the CD's, and take Jondy out there to socialize.' Maggie said, slapping his hand away, when he reached out to take another piece of carrot off the board.  
  
'Yes mom.' He said, grabbing Jondy's arm, and pulling her towards the living room.  
  
'Momma's boy.' She hissed at him, and he practically dragged her out of the room.  
  
'Am not!' Alex replied, glaring at her.  
  
******************  
  
Ten minutes later, they found themselves involved in a conversation with a middle aged couple, about Alex's career.  
  
'I imagine that the Navy's quite demanding, isn't it?' asked the husband.  
  
'Yes sir, it is.' Alex replied, pulling Jondy closer to him, so that she was standing in front of him, leaning against his chest.  
  
The man nodded, 'A lot of regulations and rules?' he asked, politely.  
  
Alex nodded, wrapping his arm around Jondy's waist. 'Yes sir. Far more than I care for.' He paused, 'Not that they aren't in place for a reason. But they can be extremely restrictive.'  
  
The man opened her mouth to say something, but was interrupted by Maggie announcing that dinner was ready.  
  
Alex grinned at Jondy. 'Hungry?' he asked, kissing the top of her head.  
  
'Starving.' Jondy replied.  
  
Alex laughed, and rolled his eyes, 'What else is new.' He murmured.  
  
*************  
  
After dinner was finished and Jondy and Alex had loaded all the dishes into the dishwasher, they all moved into the living room.  
  
'Is not!' Jondy hissed at Alex.  
  
'Is too!' he replied.  
  
'Agh!' Jondy said, throwing her arms up in the air, 'You're impossible!'  
  
'I aim to please.' Alex said, grinning at her.  
  
Maggie rolled her eyes, 'Behave children.'  
  
'Yes Maggie. Jondy said, at the exact time that Alex said, 'Yes mom.'  
  
'Obedient, aren't they?' Maggie said to the woman sitting next to her.  
  
The woman laughed, 'Yes. And completely adorable together.' She looked at the pair, who were sitting on the couch, 'How long have you two been together?' she asked, politely.  
  
Jondy looked at Alex, who shrugged, 'Um, we're not together.' Jondy replied.  
  
Alex nodded, 'Just friends.'  
  
The woman frowned, 'Oh. How odd..'  
  
Maggie laughed, 'I have my hopes...'  
  
Alex rolled his eyes, 'Mooooom.' He winged.  
  
Jondy slapped him on the arm, 'God Alex, how old are you? 3?'  
  
Maggie sighed, and looked pointedly at Alex, 'I believe that you said you were going to help take out the trash Alex?'  
  
He nodded, 'Yes mom.' He grabbed Jondy's hand, and pulled her out of her chair, 'Come on Jondy.'  
  
'Momma's boy.' She whispered.  
  
'Am not.' He replied, as they walked out the front door, leaving it swinging behind them.  
  
'Are too.' Jondy replied.  
  
'Not.'  
  
'Too.' the guests heard Jondy reply, and then heard her shriek. 'Alex! Stop grabbing my ass!'  
  
******************  
  
//A moment had arrived  
  
It was just the right time  
  
For conversation  
  
And he asked me  
  
What do you do?  
  
What is your name?  
  
Where are you from?  
  
But before long  
  
We're at the station //  
  
//And I was so frustrated  
  
In fact devastated  
  
I feel happy but sad  
  
If only we had //  
  
******************  
  
'I don't want you to go.' Jondy said, with her arms wrapped around Alex's waist.  
  
He rolled his eyes, and patted her on the head. 'I don't want to go either, but my leaves up...' He paused and looked down at where she was kneeling on the floor, hanging onto him, and trying to stop him from packing his bag. 'And for god's sake, would you get up off the floor?'  
  
Jondy pouted and stood up. 'Do ya' have to leave?' she asked.  
  
He nodded, kissing the top of her head. 'Yeah.' He smiled at her, and pulled her down on his bed, to sit beside him 'But I'm gonna try and get relocated to an office somewhere around here, instead of being on the ship..'  
  
Jondy looked at him, in amazement, 'But you hate offices!'  
  
Alex shrugged, 'And I don't hate you...'  
  
Jondy blinked, and desperately tried to think of something logical to say in response. 'Well I should hope not.' She replied, and stood up. 'Wanna go get dinner?' she asked, and left the room before he could answer.  
  
'Agh.' Alex said, resting his head in his hands. One day she'd figure it out.  
  
'Alex!' Jondy yelled from the living room. 'You coming or not?!'  
  
'Coming.' He called, grabbing his jacket off the top of the half packed pile of clothes.  
  
******************  
  
//Just a little longer. Than this  
  
Just a little closer. Than this  
  
I would get to know you  
  
A little bit better  
  
I could tell you  
  
If only we had  
  
Just a little longer //  
  
******************  
  
"Alex!"  
  
He turned around quickly, facing the direction that the voice had come from, but saw no one. Suddenly, two hands covered his eyes, and he heard her voice, 'Guess who?'  
  
'Donna?'  
  
'Huh?' came a confused voice, and then he heard a stomp.  
  
He turned around, to see Jondy, glaring at him, and pouting, with her hands on her hips. 'You suck.'  
  
'And I'm told I'm quite good at it too.' He replied, smirking at her.  
  
'Dirty.' Jondy replied, before linking her arm with his, and dragging him towards the carpark. 'By the way,' she said almost leering at him. 'Nice dress whites.'  
  
Alex grinned, wiggled his eyebrows at her, and then spun her around to face her. 'Jondy?'  
  
'Alex.' She said, smiling at him.  
  
Suddenly, he cupped her face in his hands, and brushed his lips against hers.  
  
She smiled at him, and rested a hand on his shoulder 'You call that a kiss sailor?'  
  
'No, I call this a kiss..' He said, swooping down, and claiming her mouth with his.  
  
******************  
  
//I wonder  
  
I wonder what you think about  
  
Do you think about me  
  
Maybe I'm a dreamer  
  
But I just believe  
  
And I know what I see  
  
Forever wishing  
  
There would be another day  
  
Oh if only we had  
  
I don't care happy or sad//  
  
******************  
  
A Year After Zack Left..  
  
*****************  
  
Still sitting on the floor, leaning against the wall, Jondy lifted her face from where it was resting in her hands, and smiled at the sight of Alex, standing in front of her, holding a cup of coffee.  
  
'Here.' He said, holding it out to her.  
  
She smiled, 'Thanks sailor.'  
  
He picked up another mug off the bench and sat down beside her, not saying a word.  
  
Jondy smiled to herself, loving how he was so different from Zack. He was cocky and annoying. but it a good way. And he had that smile that made her melt in a puddle at his feet. And his kissing.... She laughed out loud, but stopped when she saw Alex look at her weirdly.  
  
She shrugged, and rested her head on his shoulder, 'Did I tell you today, that I love you?' she asked.  
  
He shook his head, 'No. Love you too.' He said, kissing the top of her head.  
  
'I'm gonna be fine.' she said. And he didn't even have to ask for an explanation. He knew. And that's why she loved him.. and that damn smile... and of course, the dress whites. 


End file.
